Firefox comes with a number of available search options built in, with Google being the default. However, if you want someone other than the Mountain View beast to power your searches, you can easily add a custom search engine to Firefox with a few simple clicks. Today we will tell you how to change the default search engine in Firefox on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. We will also tell you how to add search engines in Firefox or remove search providers that Firefox offers.
Note: Are you using Google Chrome instead of Firefox? Here is how you can change the default search engine Google Chrome.
Change Default Search Engine in Firefox on Computers and Smartphones
You can easily change the default search engine in Firefox on all leading mobile and desktop platforms. Using our tutorial, you can not only set the default search engine in Firefox, but also remove the default search engine if you want. So, without further ado, let’s see how we can change the default search engine in Firefox on computers and smartphones.
Change Search Engine in Firefox on Windows, Mac and Linux
The process for changing the default search engine in Firefox remains the same on Windows, Mac, and Linux. I’m using Windows for this demo, but the menus, options and settings will be pretty much the same for Mac and Linux.
1. Change Default Search Engine
- Open Firefox on your Windows PC or Mac. In the top right search bar, click on the magnifying glass and select ‘Change Search Settings’.
- Now click the drop-down menu under ‘Default Search Engine’ and choose from the available options.
2. Remove a Search Engine
- You can remove a search provider from the ‘Settings’ > ‘Search’ menu option described above. To do this, select the target search provider under ‘Search Shortcuts’ and click the ‘Remove’ button.
Note: You can also access the search engine options by clicking the ‘hamburger’ menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right and then selecting Options > Search..
3. Add New Search Engine
- To add a custom search engine in Firefox, first visit a website. open search search engine (we’ll use Startpage.com as an example). The search bar will immediately show a ‘+’ sign inside a green bubble. Now either click that bubble [1] or three points [2] in the address bar.
- In both cases you will have the option to add the existing website as a search provider. Just click on this option and you will have added a new search engine to Firefox.
- Many search engines also offer extensions (plugins). You can add them from the official Mozilla website by going to Options > Search, as described in . [2] Click above and ‘Find More Search Engines’.
4. Restore Built-in Search Engine
- To restore a search engine built into Firefox, go to Options > Search as described in . [2] above. Under ‘Search Shortcuts’, click the button that says ‘Restore Default Search Engines’. (Note: If you didn’t remove any search engines from Firefox in the first place, the button will be grayed out).
Change Default Search Engine in Firefox on Android
The process of changing the default search engine in Firefox on your smartphone is relatively simple. Here’s how to do it on Android:
1. Change Default Search Engine
- Launch the Firefox application. Now tap on the ‘More’ button (three dots) and select ‘Settings’.
Note: The ‘More’ button will be in the bottom right corner by default, but you can configure it to be on the top right like I did..
- Under ‘General’, tap on ‘Search’. Then on the next page, select the search engine you want (Google is the default search provider in Firefox on all platforms).
2. Add Search Engines
- To add a new search engine, first tap ‘+Add Search Engine’ from Settings > Search as described above. Next, fill in the search string for the search provider of your choice (search online). Finally, tap ‘Click’ in the top right to save your entry.
- I added Startpage as a new search provider and Firefox now offers it to me as the default search option.
3. Remove Search Engines
- To remove a search engine in Firefox, go to Settings > Search as described earlier. Now tap on the ‘More’ button (three dots) next to your target search provider and hit ‘Delete’.
Change Default Search Engine in Firefox on iPhone and iPad
- Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner of the screen (if you’re using an iPad, the menu will be at the top right).
- Now go to “Settings” > “Search”.
- Your current default search engine will be clearly marked. You can choose another one from the list by tapping the default search provider and then choosing a different one from the list.
- You can even add a custom search engine by selecting the ‘Add Search Engine’ option and following the instructions.
Search Like a Pro on Computers, Smartphones and Tablets
Now that you know how to change your default search provider in Firefox, go ahead, make the switch from Google. Ideally I would recommend choosing a privacy-focused service like DuckDuckGo or Startpage, but the possibilities are endless. If privacy is what you’re looking for, check out how you can use keyboard shortcuts to clear your browsing history in any browser.
If you’re looking for something specific, also check out our articles on top people search engines and reverse image search engines. Either way, when you add a custom search engine in Firefox, let us know which search engine you chose and why.
